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As early as
the 13th century, Sugbo, how the island of Cebu was
called, was already an important crossroad of
pre-colonial Southeast Asian trade.
In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan made it a base for the
exploration and conquest of the islands. However, his
efforts were thwarted when he was killed in a battle
on the nearby island of Mactan by its chieftain,
Lapu-Lapu, who became the first Philippine hero to
repulse foreign domination.
The second wave of Spanish conquistadores led by
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi founded their first
settlement, Villa San Miguel, on Cebu in 1565. Later,
the name was changed to Villa de Santissimo Nombre de
Jesus, after an image of the Santo Nino or Boy Jesus
found among the ruins of a vanquished native village.
In 1860, the demand for sugar cane, tobacco and hemp
paved the way for the opening up of the countryside.
And with Cebu's central location in the south, goods
entered and exited through its ports. By the mid-19th
century, Cebu had caught up with the outside world.
Cities thrived with newly-established industries, and
suburbs flourished. With the American rule came
improved infrastructure, more modern ports and
facilities.
Today, Metropolitan Cebu is a 33,000-hectare complex
of three cities and six municipalities. Its population
of more than a million is a cosmopolitan mix of
Filipinos with Chinese, American and European
influences. The prevailing dialect is Cebuano or
Bisaya, the vernacular, but English and Tagalog are
widely spoken.
As in the past, the island province preserves with
pride its role as the crossroads of international
trade. The recently-expanded and modernized Mactan
International Airport services flights from all over
the world. Ocean-going vessels dock at the similarly
modernized ports.
Accommodations within the city range from the luxury
of first-class hotels to comfortable pensions and
lodging houses at affordable rates. Resorts provide
out-of-town accommodations with adequate facilities
for a variety of land and water sports. |
